Hebrews
“God Has Spoken to Us in His Son”
Central Teaching
Hebrews calls us to stay strong in the faith, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the supreme revelation of God to his people.
Memory Verses
Setting
No one is completely certain who wrote Hebrews (perhaps Paul, Barnabas, Luke, Apollos, Silvanus, or Philip?). Whereas Paul always identifies himself as the author, the writer of Hebrews does not identify himself. This author was neither an apostle nor an eyewitness of the life of Jesus (Heb. 2:3). He was, however, highly educated because of his polished Greek style, persuasive rhetorical arguments, and extensive knowledge of the Old Testament. He was also a powerful preacher and a committed follower of Jesus Christ. This description fits Apollos perhaps better than any of the others, but we must remain cautious.
A double-edged sword
The audience is likely a Christian house church or group of house churches somewhere near Rome. They were Christians with some previous connection to the Jewish synagogue and had faced opposition but not yet suffered martyrdom. Apparently one or more of these house churches began to pull away from the main body of believers in the city and was considering a return to Judaism in order to avoid more intense persecution (10:25). These discouraged believers were not growing spiritually and were in danger of drifting away from the true faith. It seems reasonable to date the letter in the mid-60s, at the beginning of Nero’s persecution of the church in and around Rome.
A statue of an athlete tying a victor’s ribbon around his head
Message
This letter is more specifically called a “word of exhortation” or a sermon (Heb. 13:22; cf. Acts 13:15), and it challenges a group of fragile believers to persevere in their commitment to Christ rather than drift away in unbelief. God spoke supremely in Jesus Christ—the preexistent and sovereign Son, the only sufficient sacrifice, and the one who understands our weaknesses and speaks in our defense. Believers cannot ignore or dismiss Jesus if they want to stay properly related to God. To persuade his audience to persevere, the preacher combines words of warning (2:1–4; 3:7–19; 4:12–13; 6:4–8; 10:26–31; 12:25–29) with words of assurance (6:9–12, 19–20; 7:25; 10:14, 32–39). As a result, the book of Hebrews holds in tension the danger of failing to persevere in faith and God’s promises for those who endure.
Outline
A model of the tabernacle
Interesting Features
- Hebrews goes into great detail about Jewish worship practices, including the role of the high priest and the function of the tabernacle.
- Hebrews presents both the fear of God (warning) and the grace of God (comfort) as important spiritual realities that should not be neglected.
- In Hebrews we find a clear and strong emphasis on Jesus’s full humanity and full deity.
Connections
Faith is easy until it’s tested. The letter/sermon of Hebrews confronts a group of people who are thinking about giving up on the Christian faith. The author is a compassionate and capable preacher set on persuading and exhorting these believers with all his might in the hope of drawing them back to spiritual safety. In the darkest of times, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the one who willingly endured this same darkness in order to reconcile us to the Father. He will never let us down.